Indiana University Athletics
Q & A with Indiana Rowing Assistant Coach Josh Adam
10/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
Oct. 2, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana Women's Rowing welcomed three new faces to its coaching staff this season. In the first of a series of three Q&A features with the new staff, Assistant Coach Josh Adam took the time to answer some questions about his choice to continue his career at Indiana, his experiences thus far and his hopes for the program.
What brought you to coaching at Indiana University?
Honestly, I was drawn here by three positive issues. 1) The commitment to excellence and communication that I observed in Coach Peterson. He was doing so many physiological training items correctly that I thought, "You know what? This team is good; but, I think I can help them be great." So he and I talked about that issue. And the conversation was open and productive. That open dialogue was a huge selling point. 2) The team had a strong work ethic and a visible desire to be fast. Some coaches think you can't teach ethics and desire. I think you can teach both ethics and desire; however, it has to manifest itself as the desire to train hard with a work ethic that perseveres. When I met the IU rowing team I sensed they had this ethic, wanted to train well, and wanted to race fast. Once I saw that mentality, I was sold that I was a fit for IU. And 3) I thought the support staff at IU was one of the best I had ever experienced. From the academic support team to the training room, I saw a group of people dedicated to helping student-athletes become better people. With those three issues being positive issues in my mind I wholeheartedly committed to come to IU.
How did you first get into coaching?
When I graduated from undergraduate study, I was on the fast track to enter academia to become a professor in philosophy. My academic advisor mentioned that graduate schools like to observe that students have taken two years off before they apply to programs--"it shows you are a little more well rounded." So, for my two years off, I coached rowing at my alma mater in Seattle. During those two years I had great student-athletes arrive and we achieved excellence on many different levels.
At the end of those two years, I moved to Belgium to study philosophy. But that whole year in Belgium, I scanned results of the men and women I had coached. As you may be imagining, academic philosophy lost a lot of its luster that year and coaching gained a brilliant sheen in my mind. I remember a friend of mine said to me, "Josh, you can choose who you want to be. If you want to be a rowing coach, then be a rowing coach." And so I engulfed myself in the process of becoming the best rowing coach I could become. I think I am still fully entrenched in that process.
What are the aspects of coaching that you most enjoy?
I get great amounts of joy watching student-athletes making a discovery about the process of rowing. The Germans have this great word to describe this process of developing knowledge: `erkenntnis.' The term itself encompasses making a discovery, developing a recognition of patterns, and experiencing the construction of knowledge for oneself within oneself. I really like to watch this process unfold in athletes learning to row.
How have you grown as a coach since your first experiences?
I have changed a lot. Indeed, I have matured on many different levels, too many to describe. But I think I can capture many of those changes by noting that it seems the longer I coach the more I realize I have even more to learn.
How would you describe your coaching style?
I operate from a philosophy of coaching that is based upon one of my favorite philosophers--Emmanuel Levinas. I call it the "I-Thou Coaching Philosophy." It has a lot of details and greatly influences my style of coaching. Stop by the office sometime and I can give you an earful. HA! But, plainly stated, I would say that my style is to coach the whole student-athlete, love the entire person, and remain open to learning from the student-athlete as much as I am open to teaching them a skill.
Who are your coaching mentors and what have you learned from them?
I have learned from a lot of great coaches. My first coaching mentor was the coach who taught me how to row--Keith Jefferson. From Keith I learned that leadership is one of the most important aspects of being a coach. Tessa Spillane taught me a great deal about operating a good rowing program. And Wendy Davis showed me new ways to make a Division I Eight go fast. Emil Kossev instilled in me a commitment to using technology as a medium for teaching the rowing stroke. And Julie McCleery revealed to me that teaching good biomechanics, slowly, will translate into good biomechanics at high rates and fast speeds. Most recently, I have been learning from Steve Peterson about how to keep a whole team of vicious competitors operating well and with the commitment/love of a family.
What are some of your interests outside of rowing?
I have a lot. I still read philosophy and theology regularly. It's the questions; I like to ponder the questions of life. Training for one to two marathons a year keeps me fit. Out of fall season I usually cycle 100-200 miles a week. Also, I have been developing a Yoga practice over the last two years based upon the teachings of Ashtanga, Vinyassa, and Yin styles. And, last, I really like to watch movies. From Bullit to Lord of the Rings, Orson Welles' Othello to Good Will Hunting I am just a fan of good film (and sometimes even bad film--Bad Sci-Fi always keeps me entertained).
What are you most excited about when it comes to being a part of Indiana Women's Rowing?
Most excited? Hmmm . . . toughest question so far as I am excited most of the time. But I think I am most excited about being a part of a program that is about to make a huge step forward on the national rowing scene.
